Friday, January 8, 2010

Q2: What are some useful iPhone or iPod Touch apps that are cost-efficient (and preferably free)?

We've started collecting various recommendations for iPod / iTouch applications, and we've listed the apps by category in the spreadsheet below. To view the spreadsheet as a Google Doc, go to http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0ApdSbsGfje1_dEMzdUtVRG1KNXNHa1dzTXpTU0NDUGc&hl=en

The tabs at the top separate the apps into categories, including "Reference," "Entertainment," and "Academic." Each page lists the name of the app, its generic function, more details on what it does, the cost, notes, and some similar programs. The spreadsheet was initialized in 2009.

If you have suggestions, please feel free to comment on this post, or email askhopkins@gmail.com.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Q1: What's the difference between "dating" and "seeing someone"?

A Question via aardvark.com:
"What's the diff. between dating and seeing someone? Is dating a step up or the opposite?"

The general definition of "dating" can either mean "going on dates" or "in a relationship" (aka "going out"). "Going on dates" is casual, not-so-serious, and not necessarily exclusive. It's usually the trial (and error) stage when you first start to consider getting into a relationship.

When you're "in a relationship" or "going out with [someone]", it's usually exclusive, and lends a title of "significant other" to the status. This is the stage when you would feel obligated to call the other person to let him/her know what you're up to, especially if you're free that night.

"Seeing someone" is somewhere in the middle -- when you're going on dates, perhaps even "hooking up" on a regular basis, but not officially in a relationship. There's romance and there's probably intimacy, but if you were to stop seeing each other, it doesn't actually qualify as a break-up -- because you weren't officially together in the first place. It's the same level of intimacy/official-ness as "friends with benefits." That said, "seeing each other" has a more progressive connotation, because you're still getting to know each other and could still evolve into dating, whereas "friends with benefits" can have a more stagnant/established/"scratching a mutual itch" feeling.

The usual evolutionary scale is:
  • Going on dates (dating / "We're going to dinner...")
  • Seeing each other (hooking up / "We're kind of together, but i don't need to change my Facebook status yet...")
  • In a relationship (significant other / "This is my girlfriend/boyfriend. We're going out. Woohoo!")

In the end, though, the best way to determine what "stage" you're at with someone is to just be straightforward and talk it over. "Do you want to be exclusive?" (Just make sure that you know what your answer would be, too, if you were asked the same question.) It's usually safer to start on dates with one person at a time, so that you don't hurt any feelings. Be nice! :)

Interestingly, a bit of a Google Search turns up the following links that also tackle this question:
PlentyOfFish Forum
GirlsAskGuys Q&A

Ah, terminology...

Questions?

Post an Anonymous Question Here:
If you have a particular question and you'd like to remain anonymous, then please just post your question as a comment to this post.

Alternatively, you can also send an email to askhopkins@gmail.com, and we'll send you a reply. We'll also remove any personal identification before posting your question to this blog.

List of Questions:
[] = Question has been Answered + Link to Blog Entry.

AskHopkins: Introduction

Hello!

The GSA was once again looking for entries for Restriction Digest. We thought: "What about an advice column?" And, so... "Ask Hopkins" was born on December 3rd, 2009.

A bit about the blog: We're here to give advice on topics that range from Johns Hopkins University and Baltimore to relationships to random technology. On each post, you'll find "labels." If you click on a particular label, then you can find all of the blog entries that mention that particular topic.

Our readers can ask anonymous questions about pretty much anything. To ask a question, you can either send an email to askhopkins@gmail.com, or you put an anonymous comment on this blog post: http://askhopkins.blogspot.com/2009/12/questions.html We will remove any personal identifying information, post the question on the blog and/or reply via email, and publish a few questions in the GSA Newsletter, Restriction Digest.

Our resources include:

Email Address: askhopkins@gmail.com
(Send questions here!)

Anonymous Questions: http://askhopkins.blogspot.com/2009/12/post-your-anonymous-questions-here.html
(Post questions here anonymously, and we'll do our best to answer you.)

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/askhopkins
(If you're interested in answering questions or gathering information, join us!)

Website: http://sites.google.com/site/askhopkins
(With information on random things.)

Note: We were inspired (and helped) by folks from MIT's "Ask the Beaver" column, http://askthebeaver.blogspot.com